Henrik Ibsen - Doll's House

NORA

Go away, Torvald! You must let me go. I won’t—

HELMER

What’s that? You’re joking, my little Nora! You won’t—you won’t? Am I not your husband—? ( A knock is heard at the outer door .)

NORA

( Starting .) Did you hear—?

HELMER

( Going into the hall .) Who is it?

RANK

( Outside .) It is I. May I come in for a moment?

HELMER

( In a fretful whisper .) Oh, what does he want now? ( Aloud .) Wait a minute! ( Unlocks the door .) Come, that’s kind of you not to pass by our door.

RANK

I thought I heard your voice, and felt as if I should like to look in. ( With a swift glance round .) Ah, yes!—these dear familiar rooms. You are very happy and cozy in here, you two.

HELMER

It seems to me that you looked after yourself pretty well upstairs too.

RANK

Excellently. Why shouldn’t I? Why shouldn’t one enjoy everything in this world?—at any rate as much as one can, and as long as one can. The wine was capital—

HELMER

Especially the champagne.

RANK

So you noticed that too? It is almost incredible how much I managed to put away!

NORA

Torvald drank a great deal of champagne tonight too.

RANK

Did he?

NORA

Yes, and he is always in such good spirits afterwards.

RANK

Well, why should one not enjoy a merry evening after a well-spent day?

HELMER

Well spent? I am afraid I can’t take credit for that.

RANK

( Clapping him on the back .) But I can, you know!

NORA

Doctor Rank, you must have been occupied with some scientific investigation today.

RANK

Exactly.

HELMER

Just listen!—little Nora talking about scientific investigations!

NORA

And may I congratulate you on the result?

RANK

Indeed you may.

NORA

Was it favourable, then?

RANK

The best possible, for both doctor and patient—certainty.

NORA

( Quickly and searchingly .) Certainty?

RANK

Absolute certainty. So wasn’t I entitled to make a merry evening of it after that?

NORA

Yes, you certainly were, Doctor Rank. Helmer. I think so too, so long as you don’t have to pay for it in the morning.

RANK

Oh well, one can’t have anything in this life without paying for it.

NORA

Doctor Rank—are you fond of fancy-dress balls?

RANK

Yes, if there is a fine lot of pretty costumes.

NORA

Tell me—what shall we two wear at the next?

HELMER

Little featherbrain!—are you thinking of the next already?

RANK

We two? Yes, I can tell you. You shall go as a good fairy—

HELMER

Yes, but what do you suggest as an appropriate costume for that?

RANK

Let your wife go dressed just as she is in everyday life.

HELMER

That was really very prettily turned. But can’t you tell us what you will be?

RANK

Yes, my dear friend, I have quite made up my mind about that.

HELMER

Well?

RANK

At the next fancy-dress ball I shall be invisible.

HELMER

That’s a good joke!

RANK

There is a big black hat—have you never heard of hats that make you invisible? If you put one on, no one can see you.

HELMER

( Suppressing a smile .) Yes, you are quite right.

RANK

But I am clean forgetting what I came for. Helmer, give me a cigar—one of the dark Havanas.

HELMER

With the greatest pleasure. ( Offers him his case .)

RANK

( Takes a cigar and cuts off the end .) Thanks.

NORA

( Striking a match .) Let me give you a light.

RANK

Thank you. ( She holds the match for him to light his cigar .) And now goodbye!

HELMER

Goodbye, goodbye, dear old man!

NORA

Sleep well, Doctor Rank.

RANK

Thank you for that wish.

NORA

Wish me the same.

RANK

You? Well, if you want me to sleep well! And thanks for the light. ( He nods to them both and goes out .)

HELMER

( In a subdued voice .) He has drunk more than he ought.

NORA

( Absently .) Maybe. (HELMER takes a bunch of keys out of his pocket and goes into the hall .) Torvald! what are you going to do there?

HELMER

Emptying the letter box; it is quite full; there will be no room to put the newspaper in tomorrow morning.

NORA

Are you going to work tonight?

HELMER

You know quite well I’m not. What is this? Someone has been at the lock.

NORA

At the lock—?

HELMER

Yes, someone has. What can it mean? I should never have thought the maid. . . . Here is a broken hairpin. Nora, it is one of yours.

NORA

( Quickly .) Then it must have been the children—

HELMER

Then you must get them out of those ways. There, at last I have got it open. ( Takes out the contents of the letter box, and calls to the kitchen .) Helen!—Helen, put out the light over the front door. ( Goes back into the room and shuts the door into the hall. He holds out his hand full of letters .) Look at that—look what a heap of them there are. ( Turning them over .) What on earth is that?

NORA

( At the window .) The letter—No! Torvald, no!

HELMER

Two cards—of Rank’s.

NORA

Of Doctor Rank’s?

HELMER

( Looking at them. ) Doctor Rank. They were on the top. He must have put them in when he went out.

NORA

Is there anything written on them?

HELMER

There is a black cross over the name. Look there—what an uncomfortable idea! It looks as if he were announcing his own death.

NORA

It is just what he is doing.

HELMER

What? Do you know anything about it? Has he said anything to you?

NORA

Yes. He told me that when the cards came it would be his leave-taking from us. He means to shut himself up and die.

HELMER

My poor old friend! Certainly I knew we should not have him very long with us. But so soon! And so he hides himself away like a wounded animal.

NORA

If it has to happen, it is best it should be without a word—don’t you think so, Torvald?

HELMER

( Walking up and down .) He had so grown into our lives. I can’t think of him as having gone out of them. He, with his sufferings and his loneliness, was like a cloudy background to our sunlit happiness. Well, perhaps it is best so. For him, anyway. ( Standing still .) And perhaps for us too, Nora. We two are thrown quite upon each other now. ( Puts his arms round her .) My darling wife, I don’t feel as if I could hold you tight enough. Do you know, Nora, I have often wished that you might be threatened by some great danger, so that I might risk my life’s blood, and everything, for your sake.

NORA

( Disengages herself, and says firmly and decidedly .) Now you must read your letters, Torvald.

HELMER

No, no; not tonight. I want to be with you, my darling wife.

NORA

With the thought of your friend’s death—

HELMER

You are right, it has affected us both. Something ugly has come between us—the thought of the horrors of death. We must try and rid our minds of that. Until then—we will each go to our own room.

NORA

( Hanging on his neck .) Goodnight, Torvald—Goodnight!

HELMER

( Kissing her on the forehead ). Goodnight, my little singing-bird. Sleep sound, Nora. Now I will read my letters through. ( He takes his letters and goes into his room, shutting the door after him .)

NORA

( Gropes distractedly about, seizes HELMER’S domino, throws it round her, while she says in quick, hoarse, spasmodic whispers .) Never to see him again. Never! Never! ( Puts her shawl over her head .) Never to see my children again either—never again. Never! Never!—Ah! the icy, black water—the unfathomable depths—If only it were over! He has got it now—now he is reading it. Goodbye, Torvald and my children! ( She is about to rush out through the hall, when HELMER opens his door hurriedly and stands with an open letter in his hand .)